


January Perc'ahlia Prompt Drabbles

by CavannaRose, MelyssaShadows



Series: Critical Role Fics [6]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drabble Collection, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Light Angst, Mostly Fluff, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:41:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22072702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavannaRose/pseuds/CavannaRose, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelyssaShadows/pseuds/MelyssaShadows
Summary: A collection of drabbles based on prompts for January written by myself and my best friend. All will involve Perc'ahlia.
Relationships: Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia
Series: Critical Role Fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1021350
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. Regret

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Is always my piece
> 
> 2\. Is always MelyssaShadows' piece.

**1.**

Regret. Lord Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III of Whitestone looked over the reports that had come in and felt that familiar blackness roiling up within him. Another band of brigands, all armed with black powder rifles, had been terrorizing the southern border of the Parchwood. Setting his glasses down on the desk beside him, he rubbed his forehead, trying to wrangle the dark thoughts, the guilt. He had much to atone for, the swath of destruction caused by the weapons he had helped design was becoming more and more evident each passing day. How could he have been so stupid? Between Orthax and Ripley, he had gone willingly into that darkness.

"Darling, are you down here?" The voice of his wife, Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo (née Vessar), Baroness of the First House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt, trickled down into his shop from above. Like a gentle tide, just the sound of her voice washed away the darkness, warming him from the inside out. Running a hand through his oft-rumpled hair, he set aside the reports and stood to greet her.

"Down here, beloved."  _ Beloved _ . How he cherished the word. He had never thought, all those years ago when he had been rescued by her and her ragtag group of companions that she would become so dear. He worshiped the way her eyes sparkled when she counted coin, the swift justice she served with her bow, both out adventuring and in her duties as Grand Mistress, but mostly, he adored the way her voice got soft and low when she spoke to him, the warmth of her smile. She had the biggest heart of anyone he had ever met. 

Still looking as young and beautiful as the first day they had met, it would be years yet before she began to age the way he had, she swept in like a gentle summer storm, throwing herself into his arms with an abandon that filled him with pleasure. She was usually so dignified, out there among the people. Not here though, at the heart of their family's keep. Here she was simply his... for a little while. As her fingers laced through the stark white locks of his hair, as her soft lips danced across his wrinkled cheeks, he was reminded that she would outlive him. No matter how healthy he tried to remain, her elven nature ensured that one day he would break her heart.

Pulling back slightly, she frowned, her hand still on his cheek. She gave him her most gentle smile, the one just for him and their children. "Don't fret, darling. What ever the problem you are struggling with, we can solve it together."

He fingered a strand of her hair, barely showing the first traces of grey. "Not everything, Vex'ahlia. No matter how many battles we fight, in the end there are some we are destined to lose."

Her brow wrinkled in thought, and he had to swallow to contain his adoration. She was so damnably smart. Truly, a better match for him had never existed. A stunning smile crossed her face, striking through him and leaving him shaky. "Well then, I suppose, dear husband, that we should make the best of what time we have. Pike and Scanlan have taken the children for the weekend, and I think your desk needs cleaning off." Grasping his lapels, she pulled him in for a scorching kiss, slowly backing him towards his desk.

**2.**

It's silly. Vex'ahlia can't help but think that as she stares out at the wintery morning. She doesn't understand why her stomach is in knots. Deep inside, she knows the reason for her anxiety. She does not like to admit her flaws, but on these snow-covered mornings, she can think about the days that led her here. 

Snowflakes dance in the air, landing on her outstretched hand, and she stares at the ice crystal melting from her touch. Is it wrong to feel so happy? She has a husband and family, and yet, her greed cost her brother that same chance. A teardrop slips down her cheek, freezing in the cold wind.

"Vex, dear, come inside. It is too cold out here." Percy appears behind her, slipping his arm around her. He places a protective hand over the swell of her stomach.

"Do you know what today is, darling?"

"I can never forget," he stares into the distance, his thoughts are a million miles away. "I dread this day every year."

"If I hadn't run to that coffin. If I hadn't let my greed control my life..." Vex turns to Percy, bowing her head and resting her forehead on his shoulder. 

"It is my fault, dear. You know this. I opened it without looking first." He lifts her chin with his fingers and forces her to look into his eyes.

"I am so happy. I love you so much. Yet, my heart aches."

"It always will, dear. Regret never goes away."


	2. Fulfilled

**1.**

Above him the giant clock began to ring the hour, the sound loud and clear as it echoed across Whitestone. Despite himself, a smile tugged the corners of Percy's lips upward. It had taken a lot of work, and a lot of teamwork, to get the clock tower up and running, but there it was, right in the centre of town square. His pride and joy. Wiping sweat and sawdust from his brow, and leaving a trail of paint in it's wake, he took a step back and craned his neck upwards, taking it all in. Around him, the quiet buzz of a town alive and busy continued on, occasional mentions of his name tugging at the edges of his attention. Instead, he let them all wash over him. Right this moment, he didn't want to think of anything other than what he had accomplished here.

It was a wonder of engineering and clockwork, not needing winding, and standing almost as tall as the castle walls in Emon. Even now, workmen milled about, inspecting it for any flaw. He knew they wouldn't find any, though. Unlike the firearms that had preoccupied his younger years, this had been a labour of love. His love for his city, and for his wife shining through in ever corner, ever gear and cog. Speaking of, he pulled his attention away from the tower, searching the crowd for her familiar face. She'd said she would be down around noon, the monsters permitting. At first he didn't see her, but then there was a parting of the crowd, and there she was. Every inch as beautiful as the first day they had met, maybe even more so. Time had endowed her with grace, self-confidence, and wisdom. Beside her, his fur more grey than brown, lumbered Trinket, two small figures clinging to his shoulders.

Crossing the cobblestones, he caught his wife up in a kiss, the quarter-elves giggling madly beside their parents as their mount rumbled to a stop, sending them sliding to the ground. Small hands tugged at his pants, pulling him away from Vex'ahlia, though she looked satisfyingly rumpled and breathless. Gathering his small daughter and smaller son in his arms, a contentment he never knew he was capable of feeling settled over his shoulders. This. This made it all worthwhile.

**2.**

The midday sun offers warmth from the morning chill, and the breeze is gentle. The sound of children giggling fills the air, and for Percival and Vex'ahlia de Rolo, that alone is enough for them to know retirement was the best idea. The verdant field stretches out before them as they sit on a blanket, watching their two oldest chasing each other around a tree. Percival absently combs his fingers through Vex's hair, and she leans into with a gentle sigh.  Their daughter climbs the tree swiftly, escaping her brother's playful attack. Once she's on a tree branch, she produces her toy pepperbox and aims it her brother.  "Bang! You're dead, brother!" She giggles as the boy dramatically flops onto the ground.

"Not fair!" He laughs, climbing to his feet and moving his hands through the air he pretends to cast a spell. 

"Careful, sweetheart," Vex calls out, "Remember your lessons with Auntie Keyleth. You don't want to set fire to things again, do you?"

"No, mummy." He drops his hands and decides to chase his sister up the tree instead.

Percival laughs. He watches their children for another moment and turns to Vex'ahlia again.  "They are so much like us, aren't they, dear?"

"Yes, darling. And so much like their aunts and uncles." She grins, leaning and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Do you ever wonder if they will go off adventuring as we did back when?"

Vex'ahlia grows silent for a moment. She looks at her children and then back at her husband. There is apprehension in her eyes, but a gentle smile all the same.  "They have curious minds and loving hearts. They shine brightly, even in the darkest times. I think they could be heroes."

"It only matters that they are happy." Percival pulls her closer and kisses her sweetly. "Like we are."

"They will be. No matter what. Just like us." She smirks, raising an eyebrow at him, "Kiss me again, darling, the children aren't looking."

"Anything you say, dear."  As their lips meet again, they both feel a sense of peace. They've been through it all, and yet, they have found paradise. The upward battle was worth it all to have the life they have now. 


	3. Family

**1.**

The air was quiet, twilight settling around Whitestone like a warm blanket. The hustle and bustle of the day faded into the background as Vex'ahlia followed the well worn path to the shrine that had been built for her brother so long ago. Her hair was liberally laced with white now, and when the air turned cold she was stiffer than she used to be. Fingers calloused by decades of strumming across bowstrings trailed across the chilled stone, picking up a raven feather and twirling it in front of her face. "Oh brother, how I miss you..." Her voice caught in her throat, swallowing back a sob. No matter what joys life brought, no matter how much love she had found, there was a hollow aching at her core where her twin used to be. 

"We buried Grog today, dearest Vax'ildan. I think Vesper cried the hardest. She did so adore her Uncle Poobah. Pickle barely managed to get through the service she was crying so hard. When we lit his pyre, it seemed like a thousand ravens took wing from the tree on the hill. Was that you, Vax? Did you come to show him the way?" Tears pooled in the wrinkles that had begun to mar the once perfect cheeks as a tiny, sad smile turned up the corners of her lips as she set the feather back down on the altar, eyes catching the statue of the Raven Queen. "Thank you."

"Little Elf Girl? Are you down there?" Dashing the tears from her eyes, Vex turned to smile at the graying, but still dashingly handsome, visage of Taryon Gary Darrington. Her youngest son, the one they called Freddie, was following just behind him, watching Doty 17 with wide, wonder-struck eyes. "Ahh, you are down here. Had the little tyke show me the way so I could show my respects, I'm afraid I forgot the way. " He placed a hand on the altar, quiet for a moment as the sound of Doty's pencil filled the silence, the golem capturing the elegant moment in charcoal. "There. Now come on upstairs, little elf girl. Your family needs you."

Linking her arm with his, the fingers of her free hand twining with that of her young son, she returned upstairs to her husband, children, and the friends that had become dearer to her than she ever would have guessed. Family. It made even the hardest moments easier to live through.

  
**2.**

"Tell another one, Scanlan!" Grog laughs, pouring more ale into his mug. Pike, giggling so hard she can barely breathe, raises her mug towards him. 

"Yes, another!"

"Pay the bard and another story he shall tell." Scanlan jokes, holding out his hat for coins. Vax'ildan snorts, pulling Keyleth closer. Resting his chin on her shoulder, she leans back into him. Keyleth shakes her head with a teasing smile.

"I don't know if that story deserved coins."

"Is that a challenge?" Scanlan raises a dramatic eyebrow while crossing his arms. His eyes sparkle with amusement as he looks around the camp.

"I do believe it was," Percival speaks up, wrapping a blanket around himself and Vex'ahlia, who is curled up in his arms. 

"Yes, tell another from your time away. How many women did you woo?" Vex's eyebrow raises, mirroring the bard's. She grins over at her twin, enjoying the way they can all tease each other. Vax winks at her in reply, the smile on his face is one of pure happiness. It warms Vex'ahlia's heart. For so long, they only had each other. Looking around at their chosen family, she feels the happiest she's ever been. Yes, there are always threats that will challenge them. However, they all have each other now. So many people have never had this kind of opportunity. They've traveled the world and seen many of its wonders. They've saved cities from evil and felt the joy of victory. When they are old and gray, they can look back on their lives with pride, knowing they truly made a difference. 

As the night chill presses down on them, they all move closer together. Trinket rests near them, providing as much warmth as he can. However, they aren't moving closer together for warmth. They all need that connection. That loving feeling that comes from being so close. Little by little, everyone falls asleep, but the twins remain awake. Vex reaches for Vax's hand, and they intertwine their fingers. 

"Does it sometimes feel like a dream?" She whispers to him. He nods, looking at her in the moonlight. 

"I'm always afraid I'll wake up, and it will have been just that," he moves closer, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Promise me something."

"Anything." She nods quickly. 

"If anything should happen to me, don't run away from them. They are your family now, stay close to them. They will take care of you."

"Nothing is ever going to happen to you." She shakes her head, blinking quickly to banish any tears that would fill them.

"Vex'ahlia..."

"I promise."

He smiles, hugging her tightly. She closes her eyes and commits this moment to memory. Whether it's her blood or chosen family, the thought of losing anyone hurts her too much to think about. For now, she pushes those painful thoughts aside. They are alive. They have each other. That's what matters. That's all that will ever matter. 


	4. Obsession

**1.**

Deep in the basement of Scanlan's Marvelous Mansion, hunched over a workbench littered in twisted scraps of metal and streaked with black powder, Percy worked on his newest creation. The frantic need to create was almost as intense as it had been that first night, with Orthax riding him hard as he cobbled together his very first firearm. This was different, though. This was for her. Vex'ahlia. The Ranger whose wink could fell whole armies, the effect of it was so devastating. She haunted his dreams, both good and bad. Lately, though, they had all been the same. Vex, up on that infernal broom that she couldn't leave alone. Something coming out of the dark - magic, an arrow, a bullet - and then her careening to the ground, no one close enough to save her. They all ended the same, with Vex'ahlia shattered upon the ground, limbs twisted at obscene angles. 

He wouldn't permit it. Not while he still had tools at hand and brains in his head. Pushed to feverish heights by his desire, no, his need to see her safe, he would brook no interruptions. Even Keyleth, often his surprisingly nimble-fingered assistant, had been banished from the workshop. The only way to ensure that every detail would be perfect was to do it himself. Until finally... it was done. The air blew out of him like a storm skirting the coast of Marquet. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed the thick coating of fingerprints and sweat marks off of them, and then finally made his way upstairs. At least now when the damnable woman insisted on riding her floating death trap she would have some semblance of safety.

**2.**  
  


He's not even sure what time of night it is. He's been awake for hours. Vex'ahlia's voice playing in his head. "Take off the mask, darling." If only he could. He cannot. The mask shields him. When he wears the mask, he is no longer that scared boy running away from monsters. When he wears the mask, he is untouchable. Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III ceases to exist. No one wants to be that man. Man? He is a scared child pretending to be a man. "Percy?" Her voice slips past his defenses, and he pauses the feverish cleaning of his gun to look at her. 

"Yes?" He asks, turning his face so she cannot see the dark circles under his eyes.

Her fingers, soft though they are calloused, touch his chin and force him to look at her. "You need to sleep." Her eyes sparkle in the dim light, but he can see how they are full of worry for him.

"I'll sleep soon." He lies. 

"No, you won't. You're lying, Percival." Her tone sharpens, and she pulls away from him. 

"I know nothing else."

"That is a lie too." She turns to look at him again, a finely shaped eyebrow raised in annoyance. "You know the truth. You just avoid it."

"I have one purpose, Vex'ahlia. You know this, and yet you deny it. You expect more out of me than I can give!" The dark smoke begins to drift off of his form, billowing around him like a shadowy cloak. He glares at her, though she knows this is not truly him. She takes his face in her hands. The smoke begins to fall. 

"Let it all go, darling. This crusade is going to kill you."

"This crusade is all I have." Waking with a start, he stares at the gun in his hands. He blinks and returns to furiously cleaning the weapon.


	5. Tested

**1.**

The young woman was brilliant, that much was obvious. Tenacious. Determined. She had come from far off Wildemount just to meet the famous inventor Lord Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III and to learn from him. She had a unique and clever way of looking at problems that delighted the older man, and the pair could often be seen wrapped up in heated debate, or heads close together, bent over a workbench fiddling with some strange bit of this or that. 

Vex'ahlia felt a familiar coldness in her chest, something she hadn't felt since she and Vax had been sent to learn from her father's people. That sense of being excluded, of not quite belonging. She loved her husband deeply, but the world of gears and gadgets was simply beyond her, no matter how many times she had tried. Even Keyleth had fit there better than she, and now this new woman. This young, beautiful, brilliant woman, had found her way into Percy's world. Even later, at night while the family sat around the table, Percy would enthusiastically explain some discovery he and the girl had made during the day. His eyes lit up with a fire that had been missing.

Tucking their children into bed at night, listening to her husband hurry back to the workshop, Vex felt a sharp pain in her heart. Was she... losing him? She knew he loved her, but this young woman was exciting, and could understand him in a way that she never would. Afraid to sound jealous or possessive, she held her tongue, even though her every instinct was to confront the pair directly. She had never been a coward, but somehow, this time, she couldn't do it. What if he agreed, decided that the young woman was a better fit, and chose to leave her?

Children snug in bed, she made her way down to her brother's altar, settling a hand against the cold stone and poured out her worries, her voice heavy with grief. She wished her brother was here, to hold her and comfort her and laughingly threaten violence. Getting it all out was a relief, even if he wasn't really there to hear her. He was her twin, and even though he'd been gone for years, there was a piece of him inside her forever. That piece reminded her of who she was, and she squared her shoulders. This was not the first time she had been tested, and she had never laid down and taken it before, how could she have even considered doing so now? Determined, she went off to find her husband.

**2.**

The bow has always fit so perfectly in her hands, and tonight is no different. Notching the arrow, she aims at her target and takes a breath. She can hear Vax'ildan's voice in her head. He reminds her to aim with her instincts and not with her heart. "Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo they call you. It's all pretense, wouldn't you say? You are just another scared girl playing dress-up."

The man in onyx armor smirks across the field at her. The pouring rain makes it harder to see him, but Vex has marked her prey. He claimed to be a visiting Lord from another continent. Somewhere in Wildemount. She didn't trust him the moment she saw him, but she allowed him into Whitestone and her home. Percival is away in Exandria with Grog, Pike, and Scanlan. Keyleth is on her way, but magic is tricky. These things take time, and Vex is out of that. Lord Alastair revealed his true nature as the storm began to crash against the castle walls. An assassin sent to kill Vox Machina one-by-one, he didn't count on Vex'ahlia waking up as he quietly entered her room. No one sneaks up on her since her brother died. He was the only one who could. She fought him until he fled, and once she was sure her children were safe, she grabbed her bow and followed him into the storm. Once, she only fought alongside the others, but this time she must fight alone. No one will harm her, her friends, or her babies. 

Two dark figures appear from the shadows, and she narrows her eyes. Of course, she would be tested this way. Outnumbered and on her own, she knows she will be surrounded quickly. A roar fills the air as Trinket attacks one of the shadowy figures. He latches his jaws around the man's throat and tears back. Blood sprays while lightning strikes and the bear steps over his kill. Exposing bloody teeth, he hunts the other man. 

Vex'ahlia's narrowed glare becomes a smirk. She watches Lord Alastair begin to summon a spell. Without hesitation, she releases her arrow. The arrow flies, catching him in the chest, ignoring the armor covering him. As the arrow sinks into his body, lightning shoots down from the sky, exploding around him. He cries out in pain, feeling the electricity coursing through him. His eyes turn red, and fire slithers along the ground towards her. Barely rolling out of the way to avoid the flames, she balances on her knees and aims once more. This time, the arrow flies and sinks into his eyeball with a satisfactory popping sound. He screams and steps back, but still does not fall. This time, he summons lightning, and it strikes her hard in the chest. She flies back, landing on the stone steps leading up to the castle. Coughing and spitting blood, she pulls herself up. She watches as he approaches her slowly, a smug grin on his face. Her bow was lost when she was sent flying, he can see she has no way to fight back now.

"Mummy?" Her daughter's voice catches her attention, and she turns to see Vesper shaking in the castle doorway.

"Ahh, what a sweet child. I'll kill her next." Lord Alastair kneels down in front of her and wraps his fingers around her nightdress, pulling her close. "I thought killing you would be a challenge. What a pity."

With a flash of movement, Vex'ahlia stabs a blade under his jaw, up into his mouth and further. His eyes widen in surprise, but he cannot speak anymore. She leans in close, "I don't know where you're going when you die, but if you see my brother, thank him for this dagger for me, won't you?"

She tears the blade from his body, and he falls back with one last breath. Trinket climbs the stairs licking blood from around his mouth. He rushes over to the doorway to protect Vesper from any other possible dangers. Vesper climbs up onto the large bear, and Vex makes her way over to them. As she ushers everyone inside, she looks back at the bodies left behind. No one threatens her family. No one.


	6. Overcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lines in italics are taken from "The Echo Tree", Episode 1x63 of Critical Role.

**1.**

_ " _ _ You… sweet, broken Vex'ahlia. Unwanted daughter, unproven ally, selfish and cruel—you drive those you would call family into danger and death for your own gain. I understand you. You are lost, without form, without knowing who you are, child. You stand shattered by expectation, presenting an illusion of confidence. Behind it, you never left that bloodied girl, dagger in hand, body at your feet. You are a killer, run as you may. The tears you cry are not in vain, my sweet… my dear Vex'ahlia. You can rise above your trembling destiny. I have lived a thousand years and a day. I have seen many things; I can grant many gifts." _

She had never felt so seen, so exposed. Standing amidst her allies, her chosen family, she suddenly felt it all again. That sensation of being unwanted, unworthy. There before her was Saundor, his eyes full of knowing. He offered her an understanding that no one else ever could, and it wrapped around her with its insidious offerings. Everything else faded away, leaving only the two of them, and the space between where they each stood. He offered her everything she thought she had ever wanted. Power. Strength. A thousand sparkling gifts. She would never be helpless again if she accepted the hand he held to her.

His own pain echoed hers, a secret hurt that she hid from even her own brother. The rejection of a handsome elven lad due to her human mother. He had felt something so similar, the fey's heartbreak defining his very existence. That was when she realized... her heart was not so shattered anymore. Though Saundor's words struggled to find purchase, cracks in her self-worth had begun to heal. Another had taken his place inside her, and her eyes quickly flickered to find him, standing just off to the side and behind her, his gun aimed straight at the centre of the ancient fey. Unwavering Percy. Brave Percy. Percy who had overcome his own darkness, and stolen her heart in the process.

She looked back at the fey, and she understood. The one thing he wanted from her, she could not give. She had moved past her childish hurts, while he had wallowed in his. Everything could be overcome with time and bravery. She was not a coward, and she would never be, so long as those she loved stood beside her.  _ "My heart is someone else's." _ Her arrow flew true, piercing the heart that Saundor had offered her. His wail of rage was terrifying, but battle erupted, her family coming to her aid. Would they judge her for turning down his aid? He had asked so little in return... Even in the turmoil, her eyes sought out that shock of white hair one more time. Maybe not so little after all...

**2.**

"You betrayed me. For what? Selfish friends who cared nothing for you. Did they ever truly appreciate your skill? Your intelligence? No. They let you die!" Orthax's essence surrounds him, swallowing him whole. He feels the darkness pressing in on him. Death was supposed to be different. He wasn't supposed to feel pain like this. He was supposed to join his family on the other side. However, he can feel Orthax devouring him slowly, enjoying the bittersweet taste of Percival's soul. 

"You lied." Percy groans in pain, trying to reach out to anyone or anything that can save him from the pain and torment. He knows once Orthax is done with him, he will cease to exist. His soul will never move on, and he will never see the ones he loves most again. 

"I never lie." Orthax laughs, a low grumbling echo that vibrates through him, pulling him deeper into Orthax's all-consuming darkness.  Unable to fight, he closes his eyes and takes a slow, deep breath. Though, it's not truly breathing. He is merely pulling all the light he can into his spirit.  He focuses on one singular image: Vex'ahlia standing in the woods of Whitestone. It is a rare sunny day, and the sun shining through the leaves is a stunning backdrop to her radiating beauty. She's watching Trinket bathe in a pond, and her laughter is music to his ears. Trinket splashes her, and she jumps back to avoid it, giggling even louder. Percy smiles, watching her as her joy brightens her face. He holds onto the moment, the memory, wanting it to be his last. 

"Percy!"  Keyleth's voice echoes through the darkness, and her sorrow hurts him to his core. He turns away from the scene, and he sees her standing there. Keyleth, his best friend. Beyond Keyleth, nearly out of sight, is Vex'ahlia. Tears streaming down her face as she begs for him to come back. Next to Keyleth is Pike, her divine light warm and inviting. These strong, heroic women are fighting for his soul, and here he is ready to give up.  With their loving light surrounding him, he pushes back against the darkness. The world around him begins to burn brightly, so much he feels his eyes will explode, but he stands firm. Nothing will keep him away from his friends, from Vex'ahlia. 

A golden thread wraps around him, the light of Vex's love, and he uses it to pull himself towards her warmth. No matter what comes next, he will not let go. She is his touchstone. His anchor.  His eyes open, and though he feels weak, he feels stronger than he's ever been. He's defeated his demons, and his soul is his. Once a man with nothing to live for, he now has a life that is his own. In that first moment of rebirth, he vows to become a better man. The kind of man who deserves the friends who helped fight for his honor, his life, and his soul.


	7. Triumph

**1.**

Who had agreed to let Grog plan this little boys night out? Percy shook his head, running calloused fingers nervously through his hair as he turned to his companions. Grog was in fine form, regaling them with stories about the night they had just all been part of. A fighting pit. Because he, Percival Fredrickstein von Musel de Rolo III was clearly the type to roll around in a fighting pit. There were reasons his weapon of choice could be used from hundreds of feet away. Perched on Grog's shoulder, laughing uproariously to something the Goliath said, was Pike Trickfoot. On Grog's other shoulder sat Scanlan, prompting the story along when Grog lost his train of thought. The three were closer than ever, and it made Percy smile. Get them together and, despite the white haired gnome being a paladin, chaos ensued. 

Just then his friend leaned over and smacked him on the shoulder so hard his bones shook. "I can't believe you won, Perc! Has Vex been teachin' you about fightin' better?" At the mention of his wife's name, the Lord of Whitestone smiled. She had, indeed, taught him a trick or two to utilize in the fight this past evening. No one, least of all himself, had expected it to work, or for him to win. Just then, they arrived at their designated pick up spot and waited, passing around a surprisingly heavy cask of ale. After a few more minutes of backslapping and play-by-plays, the nearest tree opened up and they tumbled through, landing unceremoniously at the feet of Keyleth and Vex. From his spot on the floor, nearly between the legs of his wife, Percy smiled, admiring the way her pregnant stomach looked from this angle.

"I won!" Vex'ahlia's husky laugh warmed him more than his victory and all the ale he had consumed and she dragged him to his feet, capturing his lips in a kiss that curled his toes as he bent around their future child to taste her fully.

"Well done, darling. I have just the prize for a triumphant champion." Behind them their friends shouted ribald comments and suggestions as he trailed down the hallway after the love of his life.

**2.**

Petals and confetti fall around them as they watch crowds of people go by. After everything, this seems so silly. Vex holds Percy's arm tightly, leaning into him with a frozen smile on her face. Around them, their friends laugh and wave, enjoying the celebration in the air. The parade wasn't one they wanted, but since they saved the world, their most beloved allies wanted to honor them. It feels strange to Percy, to see so much happiness when the darkness had been closing in for so long. For Vex, she's trying to breathe and enjoy the holiday-like cheer. Looking back over their lives, they have been to various planes of existence and talked to gods. They have fought in wars and defeated great evil. They have all faced personal torment and come through on the other side. For a rag-tag group of misfits, they became a family. They found solace in each other when the world pushed them out. Even in the haze of glory and the afterglow of the adrenaline rushes, they know how lucky they are. 

Finally, Vex'ahlia's face brightens, and a real smile shines. Her eyes sparkle with love and she turns to Percy. Seeing her so happy again takes his breath away. She's always been the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, and this is only a reminder. "We did it, darling."

"Yes, we did." He takes her hand and kisses it.

"I'm proud of us." 

Moving in, she kisses the corner of his mouth and stares at him adoringly. Her heart swells with pride, and she hugs him tightly. A raven flies down, landing on her shoulder. The raven leans in, rubbing his beak against her cheek. A tear slips down her cheek, and it flies away, leaving a feather behind. Percy takes the feather and tucks it into her hair. "He's proud of you too."

"He's proud of  _ us _ ."


	8. Passion

**1.**

They sit around the table, reminiscing and laughing, the stories modified in detail in respect of the little ears interspersed amidst the adults, eyes wide with wonder. Beside Grog, little Vesper sits, her tiny hands wrapped around his thumb as he quietly - for him - tells her about how her Mommy bravely saved them all. On the other side of the table, Scanlan is entertaining the next biggest de Rolo with an imitation of Percy, complete with dignity, talking about how deadly accurate his aim had been. 

Each sitting at opposite ends of the table, the parents' gazed upon one another, their looks as heated as they had been when they first got together. Almost as one they stood, and Vex patted the goliath's shoulder as she passed him on her way to join her husband. "Grog, be a dear and watch the children for a few hours, will you?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned, making a surprisingly feminine 'eep' of delight as Percy swept her up in his arms. She nuzzled his neck, a sigh of contentment on her lips as he stalked from the room with his wife held close.

She had hoped to make it to their bedroom, but that linen closet had conveniently been right there, and well, she already had half of Percy's shirt buttons undone. Perhaps running her nails down his exposed chest had been cheating, but she had always been the more adventurous of the two of them, no that he had ever declined to follow where she led. With a strangled laugh and a kiss that seared her to her very soul, he kicked open the door, and then whirled her around, pressing her back to it as it slammed shut. With all the precision of a highly dexterous man, he stripped her down to her skin, his lips leaving a blazing trail of kisses across every curve that was exposed. By the time she was gloriously naked, her breaths were coming fast and needy. 

She tangled her legs around his waist, uncaring at how dressed Percy still was as he caught up her lips again, pressing along the length of her. Heat pooled in her belly, and she caught her husband's eye. Even if she lived to be 200, she would never crave a man as much as she longed for him.

**2.**

Butterflies dance in her stomach as she stares at herself in the mirror. Her long, curly, dark-hair is hanging loose down her back, and she's set her feathers aside for now. The sheer nightgown hugs every curve, just enough to tease, but also hiding her flushed skin from sight. It's the illusion that makes it so alluring. Turning away from the mirror, she presses a hand over her heart, feeling the way it pounds in her chest. She isn't nervous, she's determined. For so long, she and Percy have played this game, and she's tired of it now. One way, or another, they need to get it together. 

She lights candles throughout the room, making sure everything is perfect. She places a hint of perfume on her neck. Then, the knock on the door. Slowly, she approaches it, reaching for the knob. A mischievous smile comes over her face, and she quickly unfastens the nightgown. It pools at her feet, and she kicks it aside. 

Percy is nervous as can be. The bottles of alcohol and potions in his bag rattle as he waits outside her door. They've danced around each other long enough. Tonight, he's going to confess it all to her. Tonight, he will make her his... unless she makes him hers first. With Vex, he's never quite sure who is truly in control, and he quite likes that. 

The door opens, and she stands there nude before him. His eyes widen. He stammers quickly. He's not even sure what he's saying. All he knows is that finally, the door is closed behind him, and her lips are on his. Her skin is warm to his touch, and she is pressed tightly against him. He loses his train of thought. He cannot think. He can only feel. She is his world, and tonight, nothing else matters.


End file.
